U.S. patent application number 14/045007 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-09 for processing core data produced by a computer process.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Richard N. Chamberlain, Howard J. Hellyer, Matthew F. Peters, Adam J. Pilkington.
Application Number | 20150100834 14/045007 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47225595 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150100834 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chamberlain; Richard N. ; et
al. |
April 9, 2015 |
PROCESSING CORE DATA PRODUCED BY A COMPUTER PROCESS
Abstract
A method, apparatus, computer program and computer program
product for processing core data produced by a computer process to
identify data relevant to the computer process, the method
comprising the steps of: identifying core data for a computer
process; identifying trace data comprising sequential trace entries
for the computer process; selecting a predetermined number of most
recent entries in the trace data; identifying any references to a
memory address in each selected trace data entry; dereferencing
each identified memory address in the core data; and extracting the
data from the dereferenced memory location in the core data.
Inventors: |
Chamberlain; Richard N.;
(Hursley, GB) ; Hellyer; Howard J.; (Hursley,
GB) ; Peters; Matthew F.; (Hursley, GB) ;
Pilkington; Adam J.; (Hursley, GB) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
47225595 |
Appl. No.: |
14/045007 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
714/45 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 11/3636 20130101;
G06F 11/0778 20130101; G06F 11/3471 20130101; G06F 11/0715
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
714/45 |
International
Class: |
G06F 11/36 20060101
G06F011/36 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 3, 2013 |
GB |
1217667.3 |
Claims
1. A method for processing core data produced by a computer process
to identify data relevant to the computer process, the method
comprising the steps of: identifying the core data for a computer
process; identifying trace data comprising sequential trace entries
for the computer process; selecting a predetermined number of most
recent entries in the trace data; identifying any references to a
memory address in each selected trace data entry; dereferencing
each identified memory address in the core data; and extracting the
data from the dereferenced memory location in the core data.
2. A method according to claim 1 in which the most recent entries
in the trace data comprise a predetermined number of entries.
3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: in response
to the data from any dereferenced memory location in the core data
comprising a further reference to a memory address, dereferencing
the further memory address in the core data; and extracting the
data from the dereferenced further memory location in the core
data.
4. A method according to claim 3 in which for a given trace entry
the extraction of referenced data is limited to a predetermined
depth of reference.
5. A method according to claim 1 in which the extracted data may
comprise a data structure.
6. A method according to claim 1 in which each reference to a
memory address comprises a pointer.
7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
identifying entries in the core data comprising register data for
the process; identifying any references to a memory address in each
selected register entry; dereferencing each identified register
entry memory address in the core data; and extracting the data from
the dereferenced register entry memory location in the core
data.
8. A method according to claim 1 in which the extracted data is
marked within the core data file.
9. A method according to claim 1 in which remaining data in the
core data file excluding the extracted data is replaced with
compressible data.
10. A method according to claim 1 in which the extracted data is
copied from the core data file into one or more other files.
11. A method according to claim 1 in which the computer process is
a system or application program and the method further comprises
the steps of: translating references to memory addresses in the
trace data for program to the core data address space so as to
enable the steps of: identifying any references to a memory address
in each selected trace data entry; dereferencing each identified
memory address in the core data; and extracting the data from the
dereferenced memory location in the core data.
12. A method according to claim 1 in which the computer process is
a virtual machine.
13. An apparatus for processing core data produced by a computer
process to identify data relevant to the computer process, the
apparatus being operable to: identify the core data for a computer
process; identify trace data comprising sequential trace entries
for the computer process; select a predetermined number of most
recent entries in the trace data; identify any references to a
memory address in each selected trace data entry; dereference each
identified memory address in the core data; and extract the data
from the dereferenced memory location in the core data.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the most recent
entries in the trace data comprise a predetermined number of
entries.
15. An apparatus according to claim 13, the apparatus being further
operable to: responsive to the data from any dereferenced memory
location in the core data comprising a further reference to a
memory address, to dereference the further memory address in the
core data; and to extract the data from the dereferenced further
memory location in the core data.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15 in which for a given trace
entry the extraction of referenced data is limited to a
predetermined depth of reference.
17. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the extracted data
may comprise a data structure.
18. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which each reference to a
memory address comprises a pointer.
19. An apparatus according to claim 13, the apparatus being further
operable to: identify entries in the core data comprising register
data for the process; identify any references to a memory address
in each selected register entry; dereference each identified
register entry memory address in the core data; and extract the
data from the dereferenced register entry memory location in the
core data.
20. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the extracted data
is marked within the core data file.
21. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which remaining data in
the core data file excluding the extracted data is replaced with
compressible data.
22. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the extracted data
is copied from the core data file into one or more other files.
23. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the computer
process is a system or application program, and the apparatus is
further operable to: translate references to memory addresses in
the trace data for program to the core data address space so as to
enable the apparatus to: identify any references to a memory
address in each selected trace data entry; dereference each
identified memory address in the core data; and extract the data
from the dereferenced memory location in the core data.
24. An apparatus according to claim 13 in which the computer
process is a virtual machine.
25. A computer program stored on a non-transitory computer readable
medium and loadable into a memory of a digital computer, comprising
software code portions, when said computer program is run on a
computer, for performing the method of claim 1.
26. A computer program product for processing core data produced by
a computer process to identify data relevant to the computer
process, the computer program product comprising: a non-transitory
computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon
that are readable by a processing circuit and executable by the
processing circuit for performing a method according to claim 1.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of priority to United
Kingdom Patent Application Serial No. 1217667.3, filed on Oct. 3,
2012, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to processing core data
produced by a computer process.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Computer systems commonly comprise functionality to cope
with a program or process ceasing to operate appropriately which is
generally referred to as the program or process crashing. Any type
of program or process may crash such as an application program,
system or utility program, operating system or virtual machine. In
order to assist the diagnosis of a crash, the crashing program or
the operating system on which the crashing program runs may be
arranged to output a file comprising a copy of the data from the
memory used by the crashing program. Such a file is commonly
referred to as a core file or a core dump. Such core files commonly
comprise a memory image, that is, a copy of the data from the
processor registers and random access memory (RAM) occupied by the
crashing program or process, which may be useful in the
identification of the cause of the crash.
[0004] However, such core files may be large and require
significant storage space. In addition, large core files require
significant time and resource to create or move. For example, in
some arrangements, the process memory space usage may exceed the
amount of storage space or transmission bandwidth available. In
this case, generating core files that are images of the memory may
not be practical.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need in the art to address the
aforementioned problem.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0006] An embodiment of the invention provides a method for
processing core data produced by a computer process to identify
data relevant to the computer process, the method comprising the
steps of: identifying core data for a computer process; identifying
trace data comprising sequential trace entries for the computer
process; selecting a predetermined number of most recent entries in
the trace data; identifying any references to a memory address in
each selected trace data entry; dereferencing each identified
memory address in the core data; and extracting the data from the
dereferenced memory location in the core data.
[0007] Embodiments of the invention enable the size of the core
file data to be reduced. The most recent entries are selected from
the trace file so as to enable the extraction the most relevant
data to the process from the core data.
[0008] The most recent entries in the trace data may comprise a
predetermined number of entries. Selecting a predetermined number
of core data entries provides a simple mechanism for determining
the most recent core data. If the data from any dereferenced memory
location in the core data comprises a further reference to a memory
address then the further memory address in the core data may be
dereferenced; and the data from the dereferenced further memory
location in the core data may be extracted. Dereferencing memory
locations enables further potentially relevant data to be extracted
from the core data. For a given trace entry the extraction of
referenced data may be limited to a predetermined depth of
reference. Limiting the depth of dereferencing of referenced memory
addresses reduces less relevant or dependable data being extracted
from the core data. The extracted data may comprise a data
structure. Each reference to a memory address may comprise a
pointer.
[0009] The method may comprise the steps of: identifying entries in
the core data comprising register data for the process; identifying
any references to a memory address in each selected register entry;
dereferencing each identified register data memory address in the
core data; and extracting the data from the dereferenced register
data memory location in the core data. The data in the image of the
registers is likely to reference the most recent data in the core
data.
[0010] The extracted data may be marked within the core data file.
Remaining data in the core data file excluding the extracted data
may be replaced with compressible data. The extracted data may be
copied from the core data file into one or more other files.
[0011] The computer process may be a system or application program
and the method comprises the steps of: translating references to a
memory address in the trace data for program to the core data
address space so as to enable the steps of: identifying any
references to a memory address in each selected trace data entry;
dereferencing each identified memory address in the core data; and
extracting the data from the dereferenced memory location in the
core data
[0012] The computer process may be a virtual machine.
[0013] Another embodiment provides apparatus for processing core
data produced by a computer process to identify data relevant to
the computer process, the apparatus being operable to: identify
core data for a computer process; identify trace data comprising
sequential trace entries for the computer process; select a
predetermined number of most recent entries in the trace data;
identify any references to a memory address in each selected trace
data entry; dereference each identified memory address in the core
data; and extract the data from the dereferenced memory location in
the core data.
[0014] A further embodiment provides a computer program stored on a
computer readable medium and loadable into the internal memory of a
digital computer, comprising software code portions, when said
program is run on a computer, for performing a method for
processing core data produced by a computer process to identify
data relevant to the computer process, the method comprising the
steps of: identifying core data for a computer process; identifying
trace data comprising sequential trace entries for the computer
process; selecting a predetermined number of most recent entries in
the trace data; identifying any references to a memory address in
each selected trace data entry; dereferencing each identified
memory address in the core data; and extracting the data from the
dereferenced memory location in the core data.
[0015] Viewed from a further aspect, the present invention provides
a computer program product for processing core data produced by a
computer process to identify data relevant to the computer process,
the computer program product comprising: a computer readable
storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing
instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing
a method for performing the steps of the invention.
[0016] Viewed from a further aspect, the present invention provides
a computer program stored on a computer readable medium and
loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, comprising
software code portions, when said program is run on a computer, for
performing the steps of the invention.
[0017] Another embodiment provides a method or system substantially
as described with reference to the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be
described, by way of example only, with reference to the following
drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is schematic illustration of a computer system
running a process, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a trace file and
a core file produced as a result of the process running in the
computer system of FIG. 1, according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of processing of the
trace file and core file of FIG. 2 for identifying data in the core
file relevant to the process, according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating processing performed in
the computer system of FIG. 1 when processing of the trace file and
core file as shown in FIG. 3, according to a preferred embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0023] With reference to FIG. 1, a computer system 101 comprises a
computer 102 running an operating system 103 arranged to provide a
platform for one or more application programs. In the present
embodiment, the computer is running a virtual machine environment
(VME) application program 104 in the form of a Java.TM. Runtime
Environment (JRE). The VME 104 is running a virtual machine (VM)
105, in the form of a Java.TM. virtual machine (JVM), in memory 106
provided by the JRE 104. Java and all Java-based trademarks and
logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its
affiliates.
[0024] The VM 105 is provided with trace code (not shown) arranged
to output trace data, stored in a trace file 107, detailing the
operations performed by the VM 105 during its operation. In the
present embodiment, the VME 104 is provided with a core file
processing program 108 arranged to operate in response to the VM
105 crashing. In such an event, the VM 105 outputs the trace file
107 and a core file 109 comprising an image of the memory 106. The
core file processing program 108 is arranged to process the core
file 109 in combination with the trace file 107 to extract selected
core data, which is then stored by the VME 104 in an extracted core
data file 110. The extracted core data file 110 comprises data
extracted from the core file 109 in dependence on the data in the
trace file 107. In the present embodiment, the core file processing
program 108 is arranged to use the data in the trace file 107 to
index the data in the core file 109 so as to extract the data from
the core file 109 that was most recently referenced by the VM 105.
In the present embodiment, the most recent referenced or used data
is identified from a predetermined number of the most recent
entries in the trace file 107 as described in further detail
below.
[0025] With reference to FIG. 2, the trace file 107 comprises a
sequence of entries 201 each describing an event in the processing
of the VM 105 such as processing control passing into or out of a
given function. Such functions may take one or more input
parameters and output or return one or more parameters. One or more
of the parameters in a given trace file entry 201 may comprise a
reference to an address in the memory 106, in the form of a
pointer. The target of such a reference or pointer may comprise
data, a data structure or a further reference or pointer. In the
present embodiment, the events 201 are sequentially numbered in
order of their entry by the VM 105 in the trace file 107.
[0026] As noted above, the core file 109 comprises an image 204 of
the memory 106, that is, a copy of the contents of the memory 106.
In the present embodiment, the VM 105 performed multi-threaded
processing. As such, the core file 109 further comprises respective
register data image 203 for each such thread. Each register data
image 203 comprises a set of register addresses 205 and the
corresponding register contents 206 in the form of data, one or
more data structures or one or more pointers. The memory image data
204 comprises a set of memory addresses 207 and corresponding data
contents 208 in the form of data, one or more data structures or
one or more pointers for all threads. Similarly, the trace file 107
comprises corresponding trace data for each thread.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 3, the core file processing program
108 is arranged to process the core file 109 using the trace file
107 to produce the extracted core data file 110. The extracted core
data relates to a predetermined time period measured by a
predetermined number of entries in the trace file 107. In the
present embodiment, the period is determined by 500 trace file
entries for each thread. Furthermore, the depth to which data is
extracted from the core file 109 is limited to a predetermined
number of pointer dereferences. In the present embodiment, the
depth is set to two, that is, two sequential pointers can be
dereferenced and the corresponding data, data, one or more data
structures or one or more further pointers is extracted into the
extracted core data file 110.
[0028] Returning to FIG. 2 and referring to the example data, the
core file processing program 108 takes each entry 201 in the trace
file in turn starting with the most recent entry 7500:
7500: Exit: FunctionA(x)
[0029] Entry 7500 traces the thread control exiting the function
"FunctionA" with a single return parameter in the form of a pointer
as follows:
x=Address3
[0030] Dereferencing the pointer in memory image 204 in the core
file 109 yields the following data structure comprising a single
pointer:
Address3=DataStructure2(Address7)
[0031] Dereferencing the pointer results in a further pointer as
follows:
Address?=Address9
[0032] Since the depth limit of two dereferencing steps for any
given pointer has been met the processing of this entry 201 is
complete and no further data is extracted by indexing the core file
109 via the entry 7500 of the trace file 107. The core file
processing program 108 then takes the next most recent entry 7499
in the trace file 107 as follows:
7499: Enter: FunctionA(a, b, c)
[0033] Entry 7499 traces the relevant thread control entering the
function "FunctionA" with three parameters detailed as:
a=1
b=Address1
c=Address2
[0034] The three parameters comprise respectively an item of data
and two pointers.
[0035] Dereferencing the two pointers in the core file 109 yields
the following:
Address1=Data1
Address2=DataStructure1(Address4, Address5, Address6)
[0036] The first pointer yields data a data item and the second
pointer yields a data structure comprising an array of three
further pointers. Dereferencing the array of pointers yields the
following entries from the core file 109:
Address4=Data2
Address5 =Address8
Address6 =Data3
[0037] The first and third pointers yield data items while the
second pointer yields a further pointer. Since the depth limit of
two dereferencing steps for any given pointer has been met, no
further data is extracted by indexing the core file 109 via the
entry 7499 of the trace file 107.
[0038] With reference to FIG. 3, the identified data from the core
file 109 that is identified or indexed in processing each of the
predetermined number of entries in the trace file 107 comprises
extracted core file data 301 and, in the present embodiment, is
copied or extracted into the extracted core data file 110 for each
thread.
[0039] In the present embodiment, once the core file processing
program 108 has processed the predetermined number of trace file
entries 201 for a given thread with respect to the memory image 204
of the core file, the core file processing program 108 is then
arranged to process the register image data 203 for the given
thread. For each register entry 205 the relevant data, one or more
data structures or one or more pointers 206 are indexed in the
memory image 204 and the yielded data copied to the extracted core
data file 110. Any pointers are dereferenced to the predetermined
depth limit as described above. In the present embodiment, the
extracted register data 302 is placed in the extracted core date
file 110 prior to the data extracted via the trace file 107 for a
given thread.
[0040] The processing performed by the core file processing program
108 will now be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG.
4. Processing is initiated at step 401 in response to the crashing
of the VM 105 and the production of the core file 110 and
processing moves to step 402. At step 402 the trace file for the VM
105 is identified and processing moves to step 403. At step 403 the
most recent entry in the trace file 107 is identified and extracted
to the core data file 110 and processing moves to step 404. At step
404 any pointers in the trace entry are identified and dereferenced
to the predetermined depth limit and the yielded data, data
structures and further pointers copied into the extracted core data
file 110 to augment the extracted trace file entry and processing
then moves to step 405. At step 405 unless the predetermined number
of entries in the trace file 107 for a given thread has been
processed then processing returns to step 403 to select the next
most recent entry in the trace file 107 and proceeds as described
above. When, at step 405, the predetermined number of entries in
the trace file 107 for a given thread have been processed, then
processing moves to step 406. If at step 406 not all the threads in
the trace file 107 have been processed, then processing moves to
step 407. At step 407 the next thread is identified and logged in
the extracted core data file 110. Processing then returns to step
403 and proceeds as described above to extract the data indexed by
the relevant entries of the trace file 107 from the core file 109
for inclusion in the extracted core data file 110 for the next
thread. At step 406, when all the threads have been processed, then
processing moves to step 408. At step 408 the register entries in
the core file 109 are identified for each relevant thread and each
processed in the same manner as the trace file entries to extract
the data, data structures and pointers, dereferencing any pointers
to the predetermined depth, to identify the referenced data within
the core file 109 and extract that data to the extracted core data
file 110 for each thread. In the present embodiment, the extracted
register data 302 is inserted in the extracted core data file 109
prior to the relevant trace file indexed data for any given thread.
Processing then moves to step 409 where the extracted core data
file 110 is output for use in diagnosing the cause of the crash of
the VM 105. Processing then moves to step 410 and ends.
[0041] In another embodiment the core data is in memory and the
indexing performed using the trace file data and extraction of core
data into the extracted core data file is performed directly on the
core data in memory
[0042] In a further embodiment, the extracted core data comprises
only core data referenced from register entries or contained
therein. In another embodiment, the extracted core data excludes
data referenced register entries or contained therein.
[0043] In a further embodiment, the extracted core data file
comprises the original core data or a copy of the core data with
the data indexed via the relevant trace file data entries
highlighted or otherwise marked or indicated. In other words, the
extraction of core file data comprises simply marking or
highlighting the data without removing or copying it from its
associated body of core file data. In another embodiment, the
extracted core data file comprises a copy of the core data file
with the surplus data, that is, the core data other than that data
indexed via the relevant trace file data entries, replaced with
dummy data arranged to be highly compressible.
[0044] Embodiments of the invention may be provided within a
virtual machine for extracting selected core data on shut down of
the crashed VM. Similarly, embodiments may be provided for use in
physical operating system as a system program or utility or as an
application program such as a forensic, recovery, development or
other suitable application program. Embodiments of the invention
may be provided within a physical application program itself.
[0045] In another embodiment, the program producing the trace and
core data comprises a higher level program such as an application
program running on the VM. In the present embodiment, the
application program comprises the IBM.RTM. WebSphere.RTM.
Application Server (WAS) running on a Java.TM. VM (JVM).
Consequently, the trace data will be similarly high level.
Therefore, in response to a crash of the application program, the
JVM is arranged to translate the higher level data references of
the application program trace data entries and core data memory
locations. The WAS writes its own trace data that comprises entry
and exit records for Java.TM. methods within WAS, as opposed to
entry and exit to and from functions within the JVM. Just as the
JVM trace entries may include pointers to the VM's data structures,
the WAS trace may contain references to significant WAS objects on
the Java.TM. heap. These trace entries will not contain memory
addresses, but the JVM is arranged to translate the object
references within the WAS trace into real addresses in the core
file so as to enable the processing of the WAS trace by the core
file processing functionality as describe above with reference to
FIGS. 3 and 4 to produce the extracted core data for identification
and diagnosis of the cause of a crash. The JVM is best placed to
perform this translation of higher level trace data to the machine
level trace data since the JVM comprises the correlations between
the higher and lower level references or addresses references and
can identify the layout of relevant objects within the core file.
IBM and WebSphere are trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide.
[0046] Embodiments of the invention enable the data most likely to
be relevant to a crash to be identified, that is, the areas of
memory that would be most useful in diagnosing the problem. Such
extracted core data will generally be many times smaller than the
full set of core data in any given scenario. Following the program
trace backwards from the last entry just before the crash, and
gathering the graph of objects referenced by trace entries to a
predetermined depth enables the gathering of the data that is
highly likely to have been implicated in the crash. Furthermore,
the data extracted from the registers is likely to be the most
recently accessed data relative to the data referenced in the trace
data entries.
[0047] As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the core
data, trace data or extracted/identified core data may be stored in
any suitable manner and not limited to a single file.
[0048] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of
the present invention may be embodied as a system, method, computer
program product or computer program. Accordingly, aspects of the
present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module" or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having
computer readable program code embodied thereon.
[0049] Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s)
may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer
readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A
computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not
limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,
infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any
suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a
non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would
include the following: an electrical connection having one or more
wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access
memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable
read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a
portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage
device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of
the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable
storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or
store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction
execution system, apparatus, or device.
[0050] A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated
data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein,
for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a
propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including,
but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable
combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any
computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage
medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program
for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,
apparatus, or device.
[0051] Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be
transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited
to wireless, wire line, optical fiber cable, radio frequency or any
suitable combination of the foregoing.
[0052] Computer program code for carrying out operations for
aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination
of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented
programming language such as Java.TM., Smalltalk.TM., C++.TM. or
the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as
the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The
program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on
the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on
the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on
the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote
computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type
of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area
network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider). Java.TM. and all Java.TM.-based trademarks and
logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Oracle.TM. and/or
its affiliates.
[0053] Aspects of the present invention are described below with
reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products
according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood
that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program
instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided
to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose
computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to
produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via
the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a
computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other
programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to
function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored
in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture
including instructions which implement the function/act specified
in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0054] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a
computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other
devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on
the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to
produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions
which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus
provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in
the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0055] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the
apparatus that embodies a part or all of the present invention may
be a general purpose device having software arranged to provide a
part or all of an embodiment of the invention. The device could be
a single device or a group of devices and the software could be a
single program or a set of programs. Furthermore, any or all of the
software used to implement the invention can be communicated via
any suitable transmission or storage means so that the software can
be loaded onto one or more devices.
[0056] While the present invention has been illustrated by the
description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments
have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention
of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the
appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and
modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to
the specific details of the representative apparatus and method,
and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly,
departures may be made from such details without departure from the
scope of applicant's general inventive concept.
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